Optimization of the Start-up Process - OCR Plate Reader

At the start of every facility management project, a comprehensive survey of all assets on site is essential to establish a solid foundation for efficient and consistent management. Asset documentation remains one of the most resource-intensive steps during the start-up phase. Our objective is to capture and evaluate asset data as efficiently as possible by leveraging the appropriate technologies.

Efficient asset capture and evaluation are critical for optimal facility management. By utilizing advanced OCR technologies such as the SPIE Plate Reader and Beeldi’s Miro function, not only is the automated recognition of nameplates and equipment data enabled, but also comprehensive audits and condition assessments of assets become feasible. Within our Innovation and Digitalization team, we have had the opportunity to test and evaluate various existing technologies for data acquisition.

Traditionally, asset surveys are conducted digitally via mobile apps. However, data from nameplates still must be manually read on-site and entered into the system. Due to the wide variation of nameplates depending on manufacturer and asset type — often in hard-to-reach locations — this process is time-consuming and prone to errors.

To optimize this repetitive process, the prototype “SPIE Plate Reader 0.0” was developed and successfully tested in 2021. Building on these promising results, the “SPIE Plate Reader 1.0” was launched in spring 2022, designed for practical deployment in projects.

The SPIE Plate Reader 1.0 is an OCR-based application that automatically detects nameplates and extracts their information, enabling rapid and error-free data capture without manual typing. The app supports offline use, ensuring reliable operation even in subterranean technical rooms. Furthermore, the app’s split-screen functionality allows simultaneous use alongside other applications, facilitating seamless integration with any asset recording tool.

In addition to the SPIE Plate Reader, the Beeldi application was also evaluated. Beeldi employs OCR technology for nameplate recognition and is already widely used across France. Beyond this, it offers extensive audit and condition assessment capabilities, which are vital at the beginning of contracts to establish a legally sound basis with clients. The app also enables the compilation of investment plans for the client’s technical assets, significantly expanding its data capture functionality. Users can document nameplate data, record current asset conditions, and assign monetary valuations.

Both the SPIE Plate Reader and Beeldi have undergone thorough testing. Positive feedback has driven the addition of new features to ensure seamless, paperless integration into CAFM systems over the long term. Furthermore, a desktop version of the SPIE Plate Reader is under consideration to support back-office operations.